International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 1308-9501

Volume 10 Issue 1 (March 2019)

Original Articles

The Needs on Professional Development of English Language Faculty Members at Saudi University

Abduljalil Hazaea

pp. 1 - 14

Abstract

Well-designed, Professional Development (PD) planning has become a dire need for effective English Language Teaching (ELT) and learning at higher education. English as Foreign Language (EFL) faculty members at Preparatory Year of Najran University have to improve themselves to meet individual and institutional PD needs. A conceptual framework was developed for Continuing Academic Professional Development (CAPD). This paper aims to explore the needs of these faculty members on CAPD, and to identify the effective ways to implement such needs. The data was collected from the faculty members through a google form close and open questionnaire. While the close items were analyzed through SPSS 20, the open questions were analyzed through thematic analysis. The analysis reveals that the highest need is related to teaching and learning activities (M=3.90). Such need can be best implemented through workshops, short courses, webinars and emails.  Research activities are also in high need (M=3.85) that can be implemented through research groups. Activities on university and community service were the lowest need (M=3.66) that can be implemented through outdoor cultural activities and exhibitions. The study recommends implementing such needs based on the priority of needs.

Keywords: Professional Development; ELT; need analysis; higher education

Moroccan English Foreign Language Students’ Perceptions of Characteristics of Effective Teachers

Hassan Zaid

pp. 15 - 27

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate Moroccan English language learners’ perceptions of the characteristics of effective teachers. It also aims to examine the extent to which these characteristics are related to the learners’ demographic variables (e.g., gender, age group, and instructional level). Moreover, the study seeks to find out if other characteristics may emerge from participants’ stories about qualities of effective teachers. 130 EFL leaners following their studies at Sultan Moulay Slimane University in Beni Mellal, Morocco were requested to fill out a questionnaire asking them to rank twenty-eight items describing seven well-documented characteristics that they believed effective teachers possess or demonstrate. Moreover, a follow-up interview of eighteen students was carried out. The results revealed that the study sample endorsed the teacher characteristics of student-centredness, enthusiasm about teaching and ethicalness higher than subject knowledge, teaching method, classroom management and humor. The male students rated teaching method more highly than the female students, whereas the younger students rated pedagogical knowledge or instructional competence characteristics higher than did the older students. The findings of the present study suggest some useful implications for language teachers.

Keywords: Teacher effectiveness, characteristic, perception, academic achievement.

Improving the Students Concept Through Brain Based Learning Model for Fifth Grade Students of Elementary School

Diyah Retno Wulansari Diyah & Waspodo Tjipto Subroto Waspodo

pp. 28 - 35

Abstract

This study aims to improve the mastery of students' concepts in fifth grade students through the Brain Based Learning model. The location of the study was Sumberejo 04 State Elementary School, Ambulu Subdistrict, Jember Regency, with a research population of fifth grade students totaling 30 students. This study uses Classroom Action Research (PTK). The study was conducted in 2 cycles, by carrying out several stages, namely the planning, implementation and observation stages, as well as the reflection stage. Data collection techniques using tests in the form of written tests and non-tests in the form of observations, namely observation of teacher activities and student activities. The results showed an increase from cycle I to cycle II. For teacher activities in the first cycle, the percentage shows 75%, and in the second cycle increases to 92.85%. The activity of students in the first cycle is a percentage of 70%. And in cycle II, student activity increases, to 85%. While the increase in mastery of student concepts can be seen from the results of student evaluations from 75.91% in the first cycle to 88.95% in cycle II.

Keywords: concepts, models, Brain Based Learning

Decentralization of Education: Demand-Side Financing

Hacı Hüseyin Taşar

pp. 36 - 41

Abstract

It is an important issue to observe the measures of equality and equity in the distribution of resources related to education and of efficiency and accountability in their spending. Demand-side financing approach in education includes the issues of the freedom of school choice as part of initiating inter-school competitions, giving the ‘Education Cheque’ or the ‘Education Voucher’  to student parents and their submitting this cheque or voucher to the board of the school where school stakeholders are also included and where they send their children, within the framework of a protocol, instead of spending the determined money considering the free market conditions or transferring it directly via the education center or district units to the school account for each student studying at each school level. The purpose of this study is to create awareness among education stakeholders and researchers such as decision-makers, managers and teachers regarding the education in by examining the approaches of ‘Demand-Side Financing’ which is based on parents/ customers' initiative  in the use of financial resources allocated from the general budget for education.

Keywords: Demand-side financing, Education financing, Financing,

Investigation of the Effectiveness of a Stand-Alone Graduate-Level Multicultural Education Course in a Public University in Turkey

Yahya Han Erbaş

pp. 42 - 59

Abstract

The contents of multicultural teacher education courses are essential as well as an examination of which philosophies, theories, and approaches are taught in multicultural courses, in order to support teachers’ awareness regarding pluralism. This qualitative case study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a course that designed to teach theoretical and practical foundations of multicultural education. For this study, the researcher gathered data and investigated a stand-alone graduate course referred to as MULT-500 Multicultural Education in a school of education at a Turkish university. For this study, a focus group interview, fieldnotes, the course syllabus, and transcriptions of the final interviews serve as the sources for the findings. The results of the study indicated that some of the participants’ expectations of this course were satisfactorily met, but it is worth noting that not all of their expectations were met. Although some participants thought that the course materials (books, articles, etc.) that was used for the course have the high quality, some of them believed that the course materials and the assignments should be more related to Turkish schools and curricula concepts. Additionally, participants believed that course provided the new terms with regard to multiculturalism; however, the lack of multicultural experiences in the classrooms, which was not supported throughout the course, was one the major concerns of participants.

Keywords: Keywords: Multicultural Teacher Education Course, Teacher and Teacher Candidates, Course Content, Expectations and Acquisitions, Qualitative Research